Pontic Greek - Dialects

Dialects

Greek linguist Manolis Triantaphyllidis has divided Pontic into two groups:

• Western group (Oinountiac/Niotika) around Oenoe/Ünye.
• Eastern group
  • Coastal subgroup (Trapezountiac) around Trebizond/Trapezus,
  • Inland subgroup (Chaldiot) in Chaldia (around Argyroupolis/Gümüşhane — Kanin in Pontic), in its vicinity (Kelkit, Baibourt/Bayburt, etc.), and around Kotyora/Ordu.

Speakers of Chaldiot were the most numerous. In phonology, some varieties of Pontic are reported to demonstrate vowel harmony, a well-known feature of Turkish (Mirambel 1965).

• Northern group (Crimea) now Mariupol where most Pontic Greeks of Crimea live now, who are of the Rumaiic subgroup (Other Pontic Greeks speak Crimean Tatar as mother tongues are classified as "". There are approximately half a dozen dialects of Crimean (Mariupolitan) Pontic Greek spoken.